Minderåriga asylsökande och empowerment - En kvalitativ studie om ungas erfarenheter av socialtjänsten i Sverige

Sammanfattning: This study seeks to examine what experiences former unaccompanied children describe of social services in Sweden based on empowerment theory and narrative analysis. The population constitutes of six young males in the age of 18 to 25. All respondents have experiences of social services in Sweden as unaccompanied children, but none were in the process of seeking asylum during the time the study was conducted. Five of the interviews were conducted over the telephone and one of the interview was conducted face to face. The study was performed with the help of a qualitative method and semi-structured interviews as a further way of collecting data. All interviews were recorded with an audio-recording device. This study suggests that a narrative, alternative story can be found in comparison with a former dominant story of unaccompanied children as silent when meeting social services and authorities. The findings also suggest that a high level of empowerment in the relationship between the unaccompanied minor and the social worker can generate positive effects on other areas of life and result in increased sense of power and control. A low sense of empowerment in the relationship to the social worker, however, can result in the individual looking to expand their emotional energy and belonging elsewhere. Finally, this study suggests that some sense of empowerment is needed to enable unaccompanied minors the use of counter-power.